Notes on Gender and the social web

Fran Maier, CEO of eTrust

(came in late) Women need to do the deal.

Christine Herron, Omidyar Network

Technology conferences -- tend to be 10% women, If you aren't present at the conversation, aren't there in building the architecture. Example, gender isn't part of the whole online identity discussion. Social Networking

Catherine Geanuracos, MomsRising

Experience around online organizing and politics. Women are better at dialog, actually talking to each other, not at each other. MainstreamMoms. What would it mean to have women drive social networking portion of organizing tools, allow for lateral and bottoms up communication.

Gender and the Social Web:  New Tools, Same ... Stuff?

Fran:  Women have to be more proactive.

Christine:  Count things.  Were there women there?  Most tech conference, women presence tends to be about 10%.   What are the things are you allowed to do?  Social networking has to do with navel gazing.   A lot of social networking with no point.  There has to be an outcome.  Being presence in the dialogs and informs the dialogs.

Catherine Geanuracos:  How to leverage the new tools?  Every six months a new tool that is the answer.  Need to create space with outcomes.  Women can engage in dialogue versus talking to each other.   More opportunities for lateral communication and networking.  Create structures in using the tools -- we have jumped in the pool with drupal.  Ways to push the tools forward and have women drive the development they function well for women.  One component is to link women's organizations from the different part of social change movement that don't usually talk to one another.  Connect organizations as well as individuals.  Networking tools that perpetuate a limited structure.